Candystore
by Evenstar606
Summary: A series of One-shots in the lives of Matt, T.K., and their parents as they deal with the challenges of Matt's Type 1 Diabetes. 02 Centric. This is a repost of a story I wrote four years ago.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. **

"How do you deal with all of this?" T.K had once asked his brother, on a sunny afternoon when they were alone, the routine of saving the world at a standstill for a moment.

As if being one of the Digidestined weren't burden enough, Matt was also very different from the other kids his age. At fifteen, he tried to live as normal a life as possible, but that was hard when you had to stick yourself with a needle everyday.

Matt remembered it all very well, like a movie that played itself over and over in his mind. How his mother had struggled to learn how to manage his disease while caring for his two-year-old brother; how his father had been too busy to take the time to learn, and how he himself had taken up the responsibility at the young age of five.

That's when the fights started—the blame that his parents pushed upon each other consumed their lives. Matt was to this day pretty sure that his Diabetes was one of the biggest factors that led to his parents' divorce when he was seven.

For his mother, all hope for a perfect first child had been cruelly shattered. For his father, it was a constant reminder that somehow, he had failed as a parent. Both of these beliefs were severely misguided. A five year-old was too young to be saddled with the task of following a restricted diet and sticking to their shot schedule, but neither of his parents could find the strength to carry it for him.

His parents' feelings were one of the reasons Matt decided to keep the truth about his disease from his friends—it wasn't until he could no longer hide it that they ever found out.

It was not shame or fear that distanced Nancy and Hiroaki from their son—it was guilt. Eleven years had done a lot to assuage that guilt, their family had come to terms with the hand they had been dealt. But still, what remained of Matt's carefree childhood had been forcibly taken, and acceptance was no comfort for someone who had to grow up too fast.

"I grit and bear it," Matt answered simply.

**A/n: Yeah, it doesn't make sense yet. Will soon, I promise. **

**R&R?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon**.

_March 2004_

T.K was eager to start the seventh grade. A lot had happened in the last two years, but finally, it seemed like things in the Digiworld were settling down. He decided last Friday to skip basketball practice and hang around with his brother, something they hadn't been able to do for a while.

What he hadn't expected was for his brother to open up to him.

They were taking a walk to Highton View Terrace, and stopped by the bridge where Izzy had fallen during their time back on Earth five years before.

Both of them stood in silence for a while, watching a seagull catch fish in the water below. "Dad wants me to try an Insulin Pump again," Matt said suddenly.

T.K sensed his change of mood instantly. He recognized the irritated tone in his brother's voice, and inwardly felt guilty that he hadn't been around sooner to drag whatever it was that was bothering Matt out of him. This time, he guessed it was their father and the ongoing struggle between the two of them about 'what was best'.

"Why's that?" he wondered.

"Well, since I'll be starting High School in a few weeks, dad thinks it will make things easier," Matt sighed. They turned away from the bridge and walked down the sidewalk, trees rustling around them from a gentle breeze.

"What did you tell him?" T.K asked. He remembered the last time his brother, a Type 1 Diabetic since he was five, had tried one of those Insulin Pumps. The memory was still vivid in T.K.'s mind, the day he walked into his dad's apartment and found his brother convulsing on the floor.

He'd ended up in the hospital three times in one month because of seizures. It had been especially hard on T.K, who struggled to balance his time between fighting their enemies in the Digiworld, and being with Matt.

Sometimes he wondered who needed him more.

"I told him no," Matt said, jerking T.K out of his thoughts. "And he told me to think about it—I don't want to think about it, damn it, I know what I want."

They were at Highton View Terrace now, where old memories still lingered. Their old apartment, the balcony where they watched their first Digimon battle unfold… and the candy store their parents used to take them to when Matt and T.K were little, before the divorce…before the Diabetes.

"I remember you telling me about this place," T.K said brightly as they stood in front of the colorful window display. He had been too young back then, but T.K knew that for Matt the store represented a link to their old life, something none of them could ever get back.

"Yeah," Matt smiled. "Sometimes I wish things were like they used to be. If mom lived with me she'd help me make this decision…I wish I didn't have to make it at all."

"I know what you mean," T.K insisted, his hand pressed to the pane glass window. "I wish things were different too."

_In more ways than one_.

They stood in silence once again, the air around them filled with the scent of peppermint and roasting nuts. From a nearby apartment, they heard kids screaming and a dog barking.

"I'll go halfsies with you on a piece of fudge," T.K spoke up, watching a woman inside cut up a pan of freshly baked chocolate.

"T.K," Matt said sternly.

"Yeah, I know, you shouldn't eat stuff like that, but why not just this once? We deserve to indulge a little," T.K insisted.

As much as Matt longed for a taste of their old life, both literally and figuratively, he knew better than to dwell on the past. "I better not," he said finally. "I've been kind of sketchy lately, up and down and all that."

"You're right," T.K said. Together they turned away from the window, and walked away from the temptation, leaving old memories to rest.

"So, what did you decide?" T.K asked once they left Highton View Terrace, and walked across the bridge into the noise and life of the city.

"I think I'm going to tell dad I'll do just fine on my own," Matt said, grabbing T.K.'s hat off his head and running off with it. Even if it meant the usual routine of daily shots, he felt confident in his decision. Maybe someday in the near future he would feel ready to try the pump again. Just not now.

"Hey, give that back!" T.K shouted, chasing after him.

They raced down to the stoplight, crossing the road back to home, which was still _home_, no matter how it had turned out.

**R&R. Constructive criticism, comliments, or ideas are all welcome. **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/n: Here is chapter six. I know it's short, but I have been out of practice. Any ideas and suggestions for what you'd like to see in later chapters will be MUCH APPRECIATED! I vow not to abandon this story. **

_April 2004_

The clock was ticking. T.K. stared at the minute hand, wondering if the longer he looked the faster time would go. His first week of junior high had gone off so far without a hitch, and he could safely turn his attention to basketball tryouts, which were being held after school.

T.K. wasn't insanely hyper like Davis, but playing basketball helped him release some of the pent up energy he carried around. And it was something just for him. No one else shared his love for the sport—Kari had her photography; Cody, his Kendo; Davis and Ken played soccer, and Yolei had the Science Club.

"What are you daydreaming about?" Kari's voice jolted him out of his thoughts and he looked around. Everyone had gathered their books, and they were practically pushing their way out of the room, eager to leave the first dreadful week behind them.

"When did the bell ring?" T.K. exclaimed, gaping at the clock. Sure enough, it was three o'clock. He couldn't believe he had spaced out so much not to notice the time or even hear the bell._ I hope I'm not becoming a sports fanatic_, he thought, snatching up his backpack and running past a group of girls gossiping at the door.

"T.K., slow down!" Kari laughed, hurrying after him. "Tryouts don't start until three-thirty, you still have half an hour. And nice of you to acknowledge my question, by the way," she said jokingly.

"Sorry," T.K. groaned. "I'm acting like a nut, aren't I?"

"Maybe a little," Kari said. "But don't worry; I'm used to this kind of behavior. I live with Tai, remember? He gets so wound up about soccer that he dreams about it!"

"Oh, well I don't dream about basketball, so I guess I'll be okay," T.K. decided. They walked outside and Kari led T.K. over to one of the picnic tables set up on the grass. T.K. opened his bag and made sure he had his basketball shoes, then quickly zipped it shut when he saw Kari snickering at him.

"You must be nervous," she said.

"What if I'm not good enough?" T.K. asked. He realized how silly that sounded. While in elementary school he played against the other kids in basketball games during P.E, and really, being on the junior high team wasn't so different. Sure there were older kids on the team, kids with higher levels of skill than his, but that was all part of the experience.

"T.K., trust me, you'll do fine," Kari insisted, reaching into her own backpack and retrieving what looked like a pair of old, dirty socks.

"What is that?" T.K. asked warily.

"The socks that Tai wore to his junior high soccer tryouts," Kari explained, handing the socks to T.K. "He says they're good luck, and told me you could borrow them."

"Am I supposed to wear these?" T.K. wondered, inspecting the socks, fairly certain that Tai had never washed them, probably believing in some weird superstition that they were responsible for all of his soccer trophies and honors.

"I suggest you just keep them in your pocket," Kari insisted, and, laughing, T.K. complied.

Sometimes, a little luck was all you needed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.**

"I want a new drum set," Akira said, slurping the whipped cream off his mug of hot chocolate.

"I want an Xbox," Takashi chimed in, glancing around the mall crowded with Christmas shoppers, their bags bulging with all the latest techno gadgets.

"I want an IPod," Yutaka said, his own hot drink fogging his glasses as he drank.

"I want a camera," Matt said, watching a girl take pictures of her friends by the mall Christmas tree with a rather expensive looking digital, and realizing that he wanted one.

"Okay…I want a Lamborghini Diablo," Akira took their wishing game up a notch.

"I want stock in Hello Kitty," Takashi said, his face dead serious. The others tried to keep from falling into hysterics.

"I want my own private jet," Yutaka grinned.

"I want a condo in France—overlooking the Eiffel Tower," Matt said.

"I want to pass Geometry," Akira said, switching to more realistic wishes.

"I want a boy—I mean girlfriend," Takashi said. The other three didn't notice his blunder.

"I want contacts," Yutaka said hopefully.

"I want Gabumon to stop eating my guitar picks at practice," Matt said.

"Good luck with that," Akira laughed. "I want my nose pierced."

"I want a Chinchilla," Takashi said.

"I want to dye my hair purple," Yutaka sighed, knowing his mother would kill him if he did.

"I want to eat a hot fudge sundae without feeling guilty," Matt confessed.

"Says the one who ordered a double hot chocolate," Takashi snickered.

"I was low," Matt insisted.

"Oh, sorry," Takashi said sheepishly.

"But if you had ordered a hot fudge sundae, I would have wrestled it out of your hands and eaten the entire thing myself because we all know that amount of sugar isn't good for you," Akira spoke up saintly.

"You pig, share some with Yutaka and me!" Takashi exclaimed.

"And I'll sit here and laugh my a$$ off at the massive calories you're all consuming in this imaginary sundae, because I would have ordered all the toppings plus extra sprinkles," Matt grinned.

"Aww, man, you know I'm trying to watch my girlish figure!" Takashi insisted.

"Whatever, dude," Akira scoffed. Everyone laughed, and then fell into silence, fiddling with empty cocoa mugs and listening to the noisy mall around them, each hesitant to bring up the actual reason for their weekend outing.

"So Monday's the big day, huh?" Yutaka said finally.

"Yup," Matt said unenthusiastically.

"Hey, I thought you'd be excited about getting a new kidney, after all the fuss your parents made about waiting a year because they thought T.K. was too young," Takashi said, frowning.

"Thanks for summing up the last four months so eloquently, Takashi," Matt said sarcastically. "I know I should be happy, but surgery is surgery."

"But the operation means no more dialysis, right?" Takashi said. "That's definitely a positive."

"Come on, Takashi, we're not talking about getting a goldfish or something, this is serious $hit," Yutaka insisted.

"Yeah," Akira piped up. "Did you know that they don't take out your bad kidneys, they just put the new one in a different spot?"

"It's nice to see you two have done your homework," Matt said dryly.

"…Are you scared?" Takashi wondered.

""Of course I am," Matt insisted, gripping the handle of his mug so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "Not so much for me, but T.K.'s only thirteen…"

"That's bull," Takashi protested.

"What?" Matt asked.

"What Takashi's trying to say is, we think you're more scared for yourself than you're willing to admit, buddy," Yutaka said.

"I know," Matt sighed, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "But this isn't like saving the world from evil. I mean—the odds of fatality are pretty much the same, except this time it's just me and T.K. and a bunch of strangers with scalpels."

"It's normal to be afraid. I was scared when I had my tonsils taken out when I was eight," Yutaka said.

"I still remember the time I needed stitches after cracking my head open while skateboarding. I actually cried," Akira recalled.

"That was only two years ago," Takashi snickered. Akira threw a spoon at him.

"Besides…," Akira said, glaring at Takashi. "You've been cut open before, didn't you have your appendix out when you were eleven?"

"Don't remind me," Matt winced.

"Everything's going to be okay." Akira said reassuringly. "T.K.'s going to be fine, you're gonna be fine, and you'll be better and we can all go back to romancing the ladies."

Matt laughed.

"Don't worry about T.K., Matt," Takashi added. "He's tougher than he looks. If it weren't for him standing up to your parents, you'd be looking at a whole year on dialysis."

"Four months of it is hard enough…I mean, we love you and all that…but you've been kind of cranky," Akira admitted. "And tired, and not your usual 'get back to work or I'm gonna kick you're a$$' self."

"We've gotten used to your blood sugar mood swings, but this has been pretty brutal," Takashi piped up.

"Okay, you've made your point…but I'm glad you guys care," Matt grinned. "What would I do without you three weirdos?"

"Don't get mushy," Takashi joked. "But seriously—we're your friends, and even though we aren't Digidestined, and we don't go around saving the world, we'll still be here for you."

"Thanks…that means a lot," Matt said.

"You're our resident Blonde, we need you to stick around so we can get girls," Yutaka grinned.

Takashi suddenly got an idea. "Hey, if you're really worried, you can have this for good luck," he said, and reached into his jacket for a worn Hello Kitty guitar pick. "My little sister gave it to me when I first learned to play."

"Obviously," Akira snorted.

"Shut up, I've had this in my pocket during every concert, and never suffered any mishaps!" Takashi insisted.

"Um…where am I supposed to keep it, I don't think they allow good luck charms in operating rooms," Matt pointed out.

"Isn't your hair long enough for a ponytail?" Takashi wondered.

"Yeah, I think so…"

"Tie it in your hair," Takashi suggested, digging in his bag for a hole punch and string.

"You carry arts and crafts in your backpack?" Akira demanded with a grin.

"I'm _taking _art, stupid," Takashi snapped, making a hole in the guitar pick a nd threading the string through.

"He likes to delve into all of his artistic abilities," Yutaka said, helping Takashi fix Matt's hair into a ponytail.

"You guys are a bunch of girls," Matt laughed, although he couldn't be more grateful to have them as friends.


End file.
